He was amazed at the skillful use of phosphorus and welding in bronze ware, which he said shows the technological sophistication of ancient Chinese people.

　　Li Chaoyang, a 30-year-old resident in Beijing, saw the Hellenic exhibition as an opportunity to broaden his horizons. “Exploring how other societies evolve, their perspectives on beauty, and their pursuit of it helps us see the world in a fresh way,“ he said.

　　This photo taken on Dec. 3, 2024 shows a marble sculpture of Aphrodite at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

　　The exhibition, themed “beauty,“ showcases 279 relics that illustrate ancient Greece's aesthetic evolution from the late Neolithic period to the first century BC. Spectators can breathe in Hellenic scents from rose and myrrh, while enjoying an art film in a small Hellenic-style theater at the exhibition's finale.

　　In the first three weeks since its opening on Nov. 6, the exhibition had received more than 45,000 visitors, with 62 percent of them under the age of 35. It runs until June 5, 2025.

　　EXCHANGES AND RESONANCE

　　As he strolled among the exhibits, 25-year-old Zhang Guyu noticed the many parallels between Chinese and Western mythology, reminiscent of what Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung called the “collective unconscious.“

　　Pointing to figures of Zhurong in Chinese mythology and Prometheus in Greek mythology, who are both revered as bringers of fire to humanity, Zhang said such cultural resonances reflect a universal quest to understand the world and humanity's place within it.

　　“Themes of love, beauty and sacrifice for the greater good run through all these myths,“ said Zhang, an English interpreter.